_To Mr. F――――._
_London, Aug. 17, 1752._
_Dear Mr. F――――_,
INCLOSED you have a letter for Mr. _R――――_. I hope that promotion
will do him no hurt. May GOD help him to make a stand against vice
and prophaneness, and to exert his utmost efforts in promoting true
religion and virtue! This is the whole of man. I find that you grow
more and more famous in the learned world. As you have made a pretty
considerable progress in the mysteries of electricity, I would now
humbly recommend to your diligent unprejudiced pursuit and study the
mystery of the new-birth. It is a most important, interesting study,
and when mastered, will richly answer and repay you for all your pains.
One at whose bar we are shortly to appear, hath solemnly declared, that
without it, “we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.” You will excuse
this freedom. I must have _aliquid Christi_ in all my letters. I am
yet a willing pilgrim for his great name sake, and I trust a blessing
attends my poor feeble labours. To the giver of every good gift be all
the glory. My respects await your whole self, and all enquiring friends,
and hoping to see you yet once more in this land of the dying, I
subscribe myself, dear Sir,
Your very affectionate friend, and obliged servant,
_G. W._